Candidates for Pennsylvania 9th vow to get things done, change voters’ perspectives

May 06--The crowded field of Democrats and Republican candidates vying for the Congressional District 9 nomination in their respective parties in next week's May 15 primary election have one thing in common: An understanding that U.S. Congress is not well thought of by the voting public for being out of touch and not getting much done.

Each of the six candidates, three Republicans and three Democrats, vow to change that perception if elected.

Republicans George Halcovage, Dan Meuser, and Scott Uehlinger, and Democrats Laura Quick, Gary Wegman, and Denny Wolff said in separate interviews that if elected to Congress they intended to "stay in touch and hold frequent meetings -- town halls," with constituents, and be their voice in Washington.

Candidates from both parties said the redistricting was troublesome because voters had to learn who was in their primary.

Meuser's focus on gun laws, school safety

Meuser, of Kingston Township, Luzerne County, who served as Pennsylvania's Secretary of the Department of Revenue in the Tom Corbett administration, went one step further. "Arguably, the redrawing by our Supreme Court was unconstitutional, and that in itself was upsetting. "Fortunately for me," he said, "five of the original counties in the 11th are now with the new 9th, but we had three new counties that we had to get to know: Schuylkill, Lebanon, and Berks."

Some of the issues high on Meuser's agenda include gun laws and school safety.

"I would make certain that our vetting systems, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System was at the highest level of appropriate data coming in so that the right data was coming out," he said, "so that criminals and those who shouldn't be receiving firearms can't receive them. I think it is outrageous to this day that the no fly list is flawed. If somebody is on the no fly list it is almost a no-brainer that they shouldn't be able to purchase a firearm."

Meuser, an NRA member and supporter of the second amendment, said he was not for forcing new laws on abiding citizens related to firearms.

Obamacare should be repealed and replaced, Meuser said. There is nothing really clever or good coming out of it, he believes.

Free is not the answer. Affordable is the answer, he said. Affordable for everyone. Some of Meuser's solutions would include giving people more choice with competition allowed across state lines, block grants to states and the encouragement of health care savings accounts.

Meuser said this election is about people going to Congress and actually doing something. "And those leaving Congress, you know what? Good. I have no problem with it. Including Paul Ryan. It's not business as usual. We have to get things done."

Halcovage pulls from experience in local politics

Halcovage, of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, said one of his greatest strengths as a candidate is his ground game as a county commissioner. "I know this district. A Schuylkill County commissioner for seven years, he has worked with officials from other counties to get things done.

Halcovage said he is committed to addressing the opioid epidemic that is plaguing our nation.

"As a county commissioner, I have been working with our drug and alcohol professionals, police and first responders, and community groups that are in the trenches tackling this crisis every day," he said. "We must combat the flow of illegal drugs coming into our county, which further supports the need for securing our borders."

A strong supporter of the second amendment, he would not advocate for changes in our current gun laws but does see the need to tighten up processes that would keep guns away from those with mental health problems.

Uehlinger stands with Trump

Scott Uehlinger, of Topton, Berks County, is a retired Navy officer and CIA station chief. He is a Tea Party member with a strong allegiance to Donald Trump and a determination to help the president with his agenda. "I was for him before he became a nominee and I'll help him all I can and if that means I only have one term in office I can live with that," he said. Uehlinger was a delegate to the most recent Republican Presidential Convention.

Uehlinger said he supports Trump's plan to "fix our broken immigration system and secure our borders."

Obamacare, Uehlinger believes, is an unmitigated disaster, which is generating explosive increases in the cost of healthcare for the average American.

Repeal and replace Obamacare, he said. "But Republicans, even with a majority in Congress, failed to deliver. I support the immediate repeal and replacement of Obamacare with a plan that increases choices and protects quality of care. Healthcare Savings accounts are one example of reform that must be considered."

The opioid crisis affecting our nation must be met with an aggressive joint effort of both the private and public sectors, he said.

Quick passionate about activism, politics

Quick, of Palmyra, Lebanon County, had developed a passion for social activism and politics long before entering the CD 9 race. "I became politically active before the last presidential election, so my entrance into the field was not just a result of Trump winning the presidency," she said at a recent meet-and-greet event in Danville.

One of the key issues in her campaign is her intent to fix the Affordable Care Act. "The ACA was the most ambitious attempt at universal healthcare in our history. Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it started taking us from an unwieldy and outdated employer-based healthcare system down the path to coverage for all."

A market-based healthcare system is wrong because it profits off of our sick, elderly and disabled, she said. Healthcare for all is a sound financial solution to rising healthcare costs, she said.

Equal access to quality education is something extremely important to Quick. "Too many members of Congress want to farm out the responsibility of American education to private schools, who are subject to market and for-profit forces. Educational institutions freed from competing for dollars can better promote rigorous academic curricula."

Quick vows to work toward establishing standards of incorporating media literacy and critical thinking in secondary schools and find solutions for college affordability and the $1.31 trillion student loan debt crisis.

Quick has a pro-worker agenda that includes raising the minimum wage.

Wegman's focus on health care

Wegman, of Reading, Berks County, runs a successful dental practice and brings would bring those business skills and a knowledge of medicine to Congress. Small businesses have fallen through the cracks, he said, and he would concentrate on improving the business climate in the district, as well as job creation.

The only medical professional in the race, Wegman wants to fix our broken health care system and build on the progress made by the Affordable Care Act.

"Politicians have broken the system," he said. "The can't fix it if they don't understand it."

Wegman has a plan to solve the out of control costs of healthcare. "My solution, he said, "would be to create a publicly funded but privately managed healthcare system -- Single Payer Healthcare. This is not a socialized medicine, system, for the government would not own the healthcare delivery systems, nor the providers who render care."

The privately managed system would continue to compete in the private marketplace, almost as they do now, Wegman explained, but without the "in network vs out of network" gaming of the system. The government would negotiate with the stakeholders in the healthcare industry to determine the range of fees that would be allowed for any service anywhere in US Territory, as well as the price of any medication purchased in America.

On the abortion question, Wegman said, "I support a woman's right not to have any government tell her what she can and/or cannot do with her own body." He supports Planned Parenthood, while noting that the vast number of services they provide often are the only medical services available to women in rural areas.

Wolff seeks to uplift middle-class

Wolff, of Millville, Columbia County, is the epitome of the gentleman farmer (dairy) and successful businessman, who served for six years as Gov. Ed Rendell's Secretary of Agriculture.

Central to his campaign is his conviction that we must rebuild our shrinking middle-class and provide opportunity for upward economic mobility.

He is thus a proponent of training the workforce to meet the needs of employers and providing economic opportunity for those who were raised here, so they'll also raise their families here and expand our regional economic impact.

"I've heard far too many stories of young adults that moved out of the area to pursue job opportunities elsewhere," he said. "I've also talked to several area employers that have told me they're unable to find skilled workers, which points to a stark mismatch of local skills and opportunities. That needs to change."

Wolff supports providing access to affordable, quality health insurance without sacrificing consumer choice or competition that would deliver the best results for patients.

In Congress, providing an affordable healthcare system would be a central priority.

Programs like the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare, and Medicaid are incredibly important, Wolff said. "We have a responsibility to take care of our disabled, young, and aging populations. To that end, we must also rein in prescription drugs costs that are bankrupting older Pennsylvanians."

Without action, the opioid epidemic will continue to heavily impact our towns, and especially our rural communities, he said. "I support curbing the over-prescription of opiates and outfitting first-responders with the tools they need to address overdoses. Once we save them, we must improve access to rehabilitative services."

The Pennsylvania primary is next Tuesday, May 15. Don't forget to vote.

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